Light-sensitive microcapsule containing polymerizable compound and pigment particles

Abstract

A light-sensitive microcapsule contains silver halide, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound and pigment particles. Another light-sensitive microcapsule contains a photopolymerization initiator, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound and pigment particles. According to the present invention, the pigment particles are surface treated to be lipophilic. The pigment particles are preferably treated with a surface treating agent such as a lipophilic resin or an oil-soluble surface active agent. The light-sensitive microcapsule is advantageously employed in a light-sensitive material comprising a support and a light-sensitive layer in which the microcapsules are dispersed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A light-sensitive microcapsule which contains silver halide, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound and pigment particles, wherein the pigment particles are coated with a surface-treating agent selected from the group consisting of a lipophilic resin, a lipophilic polymer, a wax and an oil-soluble surface active agent to be lipophilic.   
     
     
       2. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigment particles are coated with a lipophilic resin. 
     
     
       3. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigment particles are coated with an oil-soluble surface active agent. 
     
     
       4. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigment particles have a particle size in the range of 0.01 to 10 μm. 
     
     
       5. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein a reducing agent is contained in the light-sensitive microcapsule. 
     
     
       6. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymerizable compound and the pigment particles are arranged in the core of the light-sensitive microcapsule, and the pigment particles are dispersed in the polymerizable compound. 
     
     
       7. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polymerizable compound is contained in the light-sensitive microcapsule in an amount of 5 to 120,000 weight parts based on one weight part of the silver halide. 
     
     
       8. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigment particles are contained in the light-sensitive microcapsule in an amount of 5 to 120 weight parts based on 100 weight parts of the polymerizable compound. 
     
     
       9. The light-sensitive microcapsule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pigment particles are coated with a surface treating agent, and the treating agent is used in an amount of 1 to 100 weight % based on the solid amount of the pigment particles.